Crying Purges You

Today was supposed to be a day where he would learn lessons and Dushyant was a twelve-year-old boy innocent to the fallacies of the world.The school was a place he loved with a great deal. He enjoyed the journey towards the school and then meeting his bunch of friends after reaching that long awaited destination. An eighteen years old would label Dushyant’s days as monotonous, but those days were exactly what he loved. But today was supposed to be a crucial lesson; a lesson that would bring him out of his little cubicle. After the school had ended, he forced his feet towards the school van, reluctant to go back home. What made him reluctant? Was it the catastrophe waiting for him at home? Or was it because he was getting separated from his friends? Nobody knew. As soon as Dushyant reached his school van he saw Ashira crying. Ashira was a nineteen years old girl studying in the twelfth standard. Ashira was someone closed to Dushyant’s heart because 1. she cared for him 2. Dushyant and Ashira would get off at the same stop and the same stop made them wait for the van together- 3. Dushyant ran to Ashira shaking her hand, clamouring and asking Ashira about what had happened. Dushyant’s innocence and stubbornness kept him stuck with his beloved sister. And Ashira broken and despondent ignored him like elders always did with Dushyant. But Dushyant was obstinate and his behaviour finally made Ashira break her silence. She murmured “It’s a heartbreak Dushyant. I got cheated. I loved him, but he didn’t bother.” Dushyant was confused, he didn’t utter a word. He knew that something was wrong. He knew that people cry when maligning.He sat silently beside Ashira during his whole journey, holding her hand in a hope that he will be able to calm her pain down. He kept quiet between all that time and bid Ashira a goodbye as they got off the van. Dushyant ran towards his dad after he saw his dad waiting for him.

Incorrupt by the ways of the world he went back to home sweet home with daddy. Later that evening after he had completed his homework, he went into his mother’s room and spotted her sitting and sobbing near the corner table of the room. As soon as he saw her, he darted towards his mother and asked “who cheated on you? who broke your heart?” All Dushyant got to know that day was that people cry because they are heartbroken or being cheated. His mother pecked him with a kiss on his forehead and told him that she was not well. But Dushyant’s intractable nature dragged him to his dad. He went to him with his head low, almost dragging himself to his dad. “You made mom cry? you didn’t care, right?” he spilled out the words with great disdain. “Who told you that a person cries when he is not cared for?” asked his dad. “Ashira di. She too was crying today. Someone broke her heart and cheated on her. I know, you did that to mom. You made her cry” replied the sad Dushyant fiercely. “Dushyant, come here” called his dad, waving his hand in the air. Dushyant went near him and sat on his lap as if all his anger was lost. “Beta, A person cries. But it is not necessary that only heartbreaks and cheatings are the reason behind it. There are various other reasons that can make a person cry. You fall in love, you cry. You lose something, you cry. Deaths, separations, failures and even success can make you cry.” explained the father. “But dad, how? why would a person cry due to all these things?” he questioned. “Crying purges you of all the emotions, Dushyant. It makes you feel better. It makes you feel fresh.Crying makes you stronger. What do you do when you lose your toy? you cry. Same is with people out there. Dear, love is a wonderful feeling, it is as if you fly in the air and everything appears beautiful. Now, if the person you love hurts you, you cry. The separation is the termite that eats you up and crying protects you from getting digested. And if not cheating and hurting others, death; death can separate two lovers. But the difficulty caused due to separation during both these times are same because the memories are no less that the termite. It is the wood on which the termite feeds. Also, never confuse lovers with just a boy and girl in love. Lovers can be anyone. You and mom. You and me. You and god. You and Ashira di. You and a girl with whom you would imagine your future. Also, one should never hurt a person, one claims to love. It leaves them shattered and useless. It handicaps them from all the pleasures that are there at the present.” replied the father, teaching his son about the ways of the world. “But dad what happened to maa then? Why would she cry? She said she is sick.” asked Dushyant. “Dear, today she failed. As I told you that failure too can make you cry. She failed to provide you with a companion.” replied the father trying to save himself from a breakdown, unable to explain his son about the miscarriage his wife had had this morning after Dushyant left for school. “I don’t need a companion Paa. I have you and mom. That is enough for me.” replied Dushyant. Although his father’s previous reply made less sense to him but he thought of pondering upon what his father had said. All he knew was that there was something wrong that made his mother cry. But that day was a day for lessons to be learned and Dushyant got one of the most crucial lessons of his life.